Press Release for the 2023 14th Tour of Hainan

Headline: Race Upgrade and Return, Record-Breaking KOM CAT.1, The 2023 14th Tour of Hainan Set During National Day Golden Week

September 13, 2023, Haikou, the 14th Tour of Hainan (hereafter referred to as the "Tour of Hainan") held a press conference in Haikou. During the conference, the 2023 Tour of Hainan route map was released, and an update was provided on the event's basic information and preparations.

The 2023 14th Tour of Hainan press conference held

Pingjiu Liu, Deputy Inspector of the Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television, and Sports, introduced the basic details of this edition of the Tour of Hainan. The 14th Tour of Hainan will take place from 5th October to 9th October , starting in Qionghai City and finishing in Sanya City, with a total prize fund of 300,000 USD. This race has invited a total of 20 high-level professional cycling teams from around the world, including 4 International Cycling Union (UCI) professional teams, 14 UCI Continental teams, as well as 2 national teams from China and Mongolia, comprising a total of 140 cyclists.

Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television, and Sports Deputy Inspector Pingjiu Liu Introduces Event Details

The conference unveiled the race route map for this race, which consists of 5 stages passing through 11 cities and counties, including Qionghai, Wanning, Lingshui, Baoting, Wuzhishan, Qiongzhong, Baisha, Changjiang, Dongfang, Ledong, and Sanya, covering a total distance of 789.9 kilometers. The first stage is a circuit race in Qionghai, covering a total of 92.6 kilometers; the second stage goes from Qionghai to Baoting, spanning 215.5 kilometers; the third stage from Baoting to Wuzhishan covers 122.6 kilometers; the fourth stage from Wuzhishan to Changjiang covers 147.1 kilometers, and the fifth stage from Changjiang to Sanya covers 212.1 kilometers.

Pingjiu Liu , Deputy Inspector of the Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television, and Sports, emphasized that the Tour of Hainan is a key sports event highlighted in the "Opinions of the State Council on Promoting the Construction and Development of Hainan International Tourism Island" (The country sends [2009] No. 44). This event marks the first appearance of the Tour of Hainan as a 2.Pro professional series race, and it is the first international top-level sports event held in Hainan since the establishment of the Free Trade Port.

This year's race continues to focus on creating highlights and features. Firstly, the competition has been upgraded, enhancing its competitive and spectator appeal, returns twith an upgraded route featuring five KOM CAT.1, the highest number in the history of the event. The race course primarily follows the coastal tourism roads and tropical rainforest mountains in the central and southern regions of Hainan, making it more challenging for the cyclists.

Secondly, the race takes place during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday, a crucial period for traditional tourism in Hainan. Hosting the race provides an opportunity for local residents to witness top international sports events in their own communities and further promotes tourism-related activities and sports tourism consumption in the cities along the route, contributing to the thriving autumn tourism market in Hainan.

Thirdly, the race showcases the achievements of the Island's tourism roads and highlights the accomplishments of the Free Trade Port. The race route has been carefully designed to connect iconic landmarks such as the Island's tourism roads and the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park. Notably, the Island's tourism roads cover a total distance of 117 kilometers, with a significant portion passing through the core area of the tropical rainforest national park, showcasing Hainan's beautiful coastal tourism scenery and unique natural environment, presenting a vibrant new picture of the Hainan Free Trade Port to the world.

Fourthly, the race passes through ethnic minority areas such as Baoting, Wuzhishan, Changjiang, and Lingshui. Local communities will organize activities for residents to watch and participate in the race, allowing both the participating teams and cyclists to experience the charm of Hainan's Li and Miao ethnic cultures.

Lastly, the event features a variety of cycling-related activities. The organizing committee has planned various supporting events, including the Hainan Province Cycling League, to attract more people to participate in cycling and cycling tourism, creating a healthy and joyful atmosphere of widespread participation.

Qiuxiong Xie, Deputy Chief Commander of the event and Director, Division of competitive Sports-Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television, and Sports of Hainan Province. With the guidance and support of the General Administration of Sport of China and the Hainan Provincial People's Government, the organizing committee and executive committee have actively advanced various preparatory tasks, with smooth progress. As of now, tasks such as team invitations, race route exploration, stage design, referee and technical team invitations have been completed. Activities related to television broadcasting, media promotion, logistics support, and medical services are progressing orderly, entering the final sprint phase.

Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television, and Sports, Sports Department Director Qiuxiong Xie Introduces Event Preparation

Hainan Provincial Sports Event Center Director Qihua Liang Responds to Event-Related Questions

As a homegrown international sports event brand that has grown from a single sports event to a "sports-tourism integration" demonstration benchmark, the Tour of Hainan, after 17 years of development, has evolved to a higher level. Under the influence of the Tour of Hainan, tourism products associated with international sports events in Hainan are becoming new tourist attractions, forming a considerable source of tourism market. Its economic and social benefits are increasing year by year. In the future, the Tour of Hainan will adopt the guiding principle of "Elevating the internationalization of Hainan as an international tourism island, achieving the integration of sports events and tourism development, and promoting the construction of an international tourism consumption center" to continue to solidify its brand foundation, use the race as a platform, tell the story of Hainan's Free Trade Port, and make every effort to create a more attractive business card for sports tourism in the Free Trade Port.

The 14th Tour of Hainan is jointly hosted by the General Administration of Sport of China and the People's Government of Hainan Province. It is organized by the Chinese Cycling Association, the Hainan Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television, and Sports, the People's Government of Sanya City, the People's Government of Qionghai City, the People's Government of Wuzhishan City, the People's Government of Changjiang Li Autonomous County, and the People's Government of Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County, with the cooperation of the Hainan Provincial Sports Event Center.